The invention relates to a dispenser, in particular as a metering dispenser for the administration of a semisolid or liquid substance, such as, for example, liquid soap or a cleansing or skin care foam. The generic dispenser encompasses a housing, the housing rear wall of which can be mounted on a wall and which is covered by a cover being pivotably connected with the housing rear wall. The reservoir, which contains the substance and which encompasses a metering valve for the controlled dispensing of the substance, is located behind the cover.
To fill the reservoir, it is replaced, mostly together with the metering valve. For this, the housing encompasses a container receptacle for accommodating the reservoir. The reservoir can be inserted into the container receptacle in a direction of insertion. By means of a stroke movement of a valve element, a predetermined quantity of the substance can then be dispensed, with the valve element being opened or closed via an actuator disposed on the housing, which is able to transmit an actuating force to the valve element via at least one pressure element.
In particular, the dispenser encompasses coupling means disposed on the housing, which produce a positive connection between the valve element and the actuator either directly or indirectly at least in the direction of movement of the valve element. These coupling means are formed by at least one retaining edge and by at least one carrier, which at least partially encompasses the retaining edge with a carrier receptacle and which are configured in such a manner that the retaining edge engages with the carrier receptacle in response to an insertion of the reservoir in the direction of insertion.
Dispensers of this type are known from DE 27 27 679 B2. In these dispensers, however, the housing must be tilted forward and the reservoir must then be inserted into the opened cover so that said cover can then be tilted back together with the reservoir. In addition to the fact that the comparatively high load strains the mechanics of the cover, these dispensers have the further disadvantage that the reservoir can only be used if the cover is held with one hand and if the reservoir is inserted with the other hand. Furthermore, the cover must always be tightly closed with the housing so as to prevent an automatic opening.
Other dispensers are known from EP 0 650 687 B1 or EP 0703 831 B1, into which a reservoir is inserted into the housing, for example for refilling the substance. For this, the housing encompasses a clamping connection, which accommodates the reservoir with a removal opening pointing downwards. A retaining support projecting at right angles from a base plate of the housing disposed on a wall is used as a clamping connection. Said retaining support is disposed between the metering valve and the reservoir. The actuator is disposed below the metering valve as a pivotable “push” button and is connected with the housing.
As is the case with the known dispensers, the coupling means formed by elastic snap-in pins push against an edge of the metering valve projecting laterally outwardly when the actuator is actuated for the first time. Through this, the outer edge of the metering valve, which serves as a flange, engages with the elastic snap-in device of the coupling means and the actuator is coupled with the metering valve until the reservoir is removed from the housing.
For example, the actuator is provided with a “push” button extending at right angles towards the rear so that a pushing of the “push” button causes an upward movement of the region projecting at right angles towards the rear. Through this, a piston of the metering valve is moved upwards, with a substance being dispensed at the same time. In response to the subsequent return of the “push” button into the initial position, the piston is lowered again and an output reservoir disposed in the pistons is filled with substance again. The return of the “push” button into the initial position is effected via a return spring, for example.
Even though the known dispensers are capable of reliably dispensing a substance, they have the disadvantage that the elastic pins of the coupling means must grab the flange of the outwardly projecting metering valve in response to the actuation for the first time. During this first initial movement, the metering valve is inoperable and mechanical snap-in noises occur instead.
Furthermore, there is a danger that the snap-in elements are slightly bent in response to an inappropriate insertion of the reservoir so that either the snap-in position is canceled or the snap-in pins are disposed perpendicular to the upper side of the flange so that, due to the upward movement of the metering valve, the displacement of the snap-in pins can no longer be realized. In this case, the dispenser would be inoperable due to the jamming of the snap-in pins.